European football connoisseurs need to know some specific information about the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League knockout stages.
The UEFA Champions League knockout stage, under its new format, features a two-tiered system where the top eight teams advance directly to the Round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th compete in a prior knockout phase play-off round to fill the remaining eight spots.
When is the UCL Knockout Stage draw?
The draws for the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League knockout stages will take place on Friday, January 30, 2026, for the knockout phase play-offs, and Friday, February 27, 2026, for the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals.
UCL 25/26 Knockout Stage schedule
The league phase for the current (2025/26) season is ongoing, concluding at the end of January 2026. The knockout phase begins in February 2026.
| Round | First Leg Date | Second Leg Date |
|---|---|---|
| Knockout Play-offs | 17–18 February 2026 | 24–25 February 2026 |
| Round of 16 | 10–11 March 2026 | 17–18 March 2026 |
| Quarter-finals | 7–8 April 2026 | 14–15 April 2026 |
| Semi-finals | 28–29 April 2026 | 5–6 May 2026 |
| Final | 30 May 2026 (in Budapest) |
